Music
The Music School at Belhaven is surely one of the largest and best equipped of any Prep School in the UK.
The Music School
There are 8 Music Practice Rooms, each with a piano, a fully equipped Percussion Suite and a Recording Studio.
All this is in addition to the main music and drama classroom and rehearsal space. This large room can seat over 100 people comfortably, with 60 chairs permanently set up for rehearsals. It has a large Yamaha grand piano, a stage piano, and desks for 30 pupils face the screen for when music theory or composing is taught.
Music Lessons
Nearly every pupil at Belhaven learns at least one musical instrument. It is usual for over 90% of our pupils to learn an instrument with one of our visiting musicians. Several have lessons in two instruments, some (usually potential scholars) even three or four. Lessons are available in: Piano, Voice, Strings, Brass, Woodwind, Chanter, Bagpipes, Pipe Band Drumming, Guitar and all Percussion instruments.
There are ten Visiting Music Teachers, many of whom are in school several days a week. The Music School is a very busy place throughout the day, from early morning practice at 7.30am through to the evenings at 8.30pm. The vast majority of pupils are entered for public music exams with the Associated Board of the Royal School of Music. These are taken in our Music School twice a year.
Performances
At Belhaven there are numerous ways in which a child can perform, either individually or as part of a music group.
Weekly music groups include our Belhaven Chamber and Junior Choir, Pipe Band, Drum Corps, Development Drum Corps, Chanter Group, Guitar Ensemble, String Quartet, String Ensemble and a Rock Band.
There are weekly opportunities to perform in assemblies, at which a traditional hymn is sung, three times a week.
The Pipe Band perform regularly at school events and functions, either in school or local community events in East Lothian. They have performed widely in the south of Scotland, including several venues in Edinburgh, including the Royal Mile. Our Corps of Drums are very popular here at Belhaven, consisting of 16 or so drummers with their own repertoire. Our Chamber Choir occasionally lead the Sunday worship in the local churches with a full Eucharist Setting and an Anthem. They have travelled widely and have sung in ten different Cathedrals since their formation in 2021.
The annual Mansfield Music Cup is a competition between the four Patrols and is always one of the highlights of the year. Every child in the school is involved. There are many other regular concerts and services including the extremely popular traditional Carol Services and a Summer Concert, in which nearly every pupil is involved. Other informal concerts take place throughout the year including a Friday Recital Series on Weekends Out.
